Tag Archives: inspiration

I use the word dull very loosely. It can be interpreted as not feeling like you are in the mood to create anything.

The world is how you choose to look at it. Some days it’s bright, wonderful, and you are filled with imagination. And then on some days, boy, does it seem like the skies are gray, dreary and life is full of nothingness. Those days suck your imagination dry. But you must endure. You must find ways to become creative when all things seem dull. You must overcome your procrastination and lack of wanting to create. As an artist, you have to choose to be creative no matter the circumstances. Be willing to be creative in a dull world.

Let’s begin by discussing what creativity is all about. It’s about using your imagination and thinking out of the box and finding a different way to represent or solve something. It means you are coming up with ideas that no other person is thinking about and you are choosing to take the initiative in order to bring the idea alive. Creativity makes us feel free. It works our mind. And a better version of ourselves comes out when we decide to embrace our creativity.

So now that we know what creativity is, what does a dull world mean? I use the word dull very loosely. It can be interpreted as not feeling like you are in the mood to create anything. Procrastination overcomes you and the thought of thinking creatively bores you. There’s a lack of inspiration in your life and you choose to let it be. Dull can also be a reflection on the weather. The skies are gray and cloudy and it further makes you not want to do anything. Bright and sunny makes you cheerful. Anything otherwise makes you somber and uninventive.

How do you overcome this dullness? Here are some ways:

Force Yourself To Just Do It

Force yourself to put something down on paper! Even if it’s a line of a sentence, forcing yourself to do something will stimulate your mind. You’ll find that once you start, you’ll have an easier time managing the task. A lot of people have trouble getting to this point so if you manage to get something down, you are more ahead of the game than you think. You overcame the initial hurdle. It’s just a matter of using this momentum to keep going.

Create A Peaceful And Creative Space

If the weather outside doesn’t get you to create then you must take action and create your own space. Corner off a part of your bedroom that can be dedicated to writing. Move around to another area that looks calm and peaceful and plop yourself down with a book and read! There are ways you can choose to not look outside at the gloom. If you cannot control the weather, then, at least, control your environment and where you choose to do your work.

Collaborate!

I find that dull days can be brightened with the help of friends. Pick up your phone, ring a friend up and hang out together. Do you have a shared interest? Then choose to collaborate and work on something together that you both enjoy putting the effort in. Because you feel uninterested in creating by yourself, there is a higher chance you will change your mind if you do work with someone you get along with.

I find it important to always find a way to stay creative no matter what the circumstances are. You must push yourself as much as you can. You need to learn how to motivate yourself to become the best that you can be. When you start doing this, it’ll become a lot easier to be creative 24/7. Keep it up. Conquer the dull world.

The worst case scenario is exactly as it sounds. Whenever you are stressed about something, take the time to think about the worst thing that can happen in your head. Let that fear, panic and dread fill your mind.

I’m a natural worry wart. I am anxious about everything. Whether I am at a job doing my duties or at home taking care of errands, I always feel like something will always go wrong. I panic at the thought that I will miss a small detail and ruin the flow of things at work. I cringe thinking I will not have enough time to do my laundry before having to go to an important party that has been in my books for many months. But in the end, it all works out and my stress and anxiousness during these times made no sense. I’m trying a new method lately and it has been working for me. It’s called the worst case scenario situation and I encourage you to do it with me.

The worst case scenario is exactly as it sounds. Whenever you are stressed about something, take the time to think about the worst thing that can happen in your head. Let that fear, panic and dread fill your mind. Let it be the thing you focus on and cause you to shiver. Thinking about the worst case scenario is not easy nor fun. It might even add more anxiety to your life. But do it anyways.

After you’ve had time to panic, go ahead and meditate in order to clear your head. Then start to analyze how likely it would be for that worst case scenario to actually occur. Be realistic. Are you imagining all the bad things to happen, when it most likely won’t? What evidence is there to show you that it could go down the worst road imaginable? When you start to get grounded in your thoughts, more often than naught, your worst case scenario will never actually occur. It’s all a figment of your imagination and what you create for yourself.

I find that when we think about our worst case scenario, we are able to have more common sense. We amp ourselves up thinking about all these different situations that after a few moments, you know that it won’t turn out to be true. I find that I have become less stressed in my day to day life because I am now always assuming that the worst is never going to occur and that life will move forward. No one will be mad at me for anything I do, and if something does go wrong, I know there will be solutions to help smooth things over.

As you go about your day and you find that your anxiety sets in, be calm and rest assured that it will not be as bad as you think it is. Let your stress roll off your shoulders and walk away confidently knowing that the worst case will not really happen.

“Always carry a notebook. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an idea forever.” – Will Self

Believe it or not, but journaling everyday can increase your overall productivity. Every day, we have hundreds of thoughts and ideas we do not pay any attention to. Journaling helps you keep a track of all the progress you have made and all the progress you need to make. If you don’t jot it down right away, there is a good chance you won’t be able to recall a thought five minutes later, let alone when you go to bed at night and contemplate over all you thought about throughout the day. Here’s why you should start journaling:

Journaling Improves Your Insight

As you write down your thoughts and feelings on a piece of paper, you are actually conducting a dialogue with yourself. This draws attention to what you have missed out and allows you to learn more about yourself. Once you have written a few entries, you will gain insight about yourself and the things that surround you. Are you making progress in life? Have you given up those toxic habits that are hindering your productivity? Writing a journal helps you track your progress and allows you to gain insight into new things.

Allows You to Heal

It is important you express yourself and journaling is one of the best ways to do so. Many children who go through depression or show signs of anxiety are advised to write a journal. It helps them express their thoughts into words, words they would normally not have the courage to speak. Expressive writing is a means of healing physically, emotionally and psychologically. Stress often is a result of over thinking or from emotional blockage. It is important that you free your mind and release all the anxiety trapped within you.

Keeps Track Of Your Overall Development

Life happens and life happens fast. Unfortunately, most of the times, we do not stop to look around at the progress we have made or how far we have come. Writing a journal allows you to keep track of your overall development. It allows you to see how much you have changed with time and how far you have come in life. In other words, you can take note of all that you have achieved in life. This way, you can motivate yourself and assure yourself that life hasn’t been a waste of time.

Allows You to Notice the Small, Wonderful Things in Life

Did somebody compliment you about your hair today? Did your meeting at work go exceptionally well? Did you try out a new cuisine today? Perhaps you should note it down. Writing detailed accounts of your day will allow you to focus on the small and wonderful things in life. You may not know this but someday you will look back on your journal entries and smile at the wonderful life you have had.

When was the last time you had a heart to heart conversation with somebody? As adults, we suppress our feelings and allow them to boil up inside us. Do not suppress your feelings. Who cares what others think?

Being an adult is not as thrilling as we thought it would be when we were kids. Children are more confident and courageous as compared to adults. Sometimes it seems we are growing up only to relearn the lessons we once lived by when we were kids. Here are some life lessons we can learn from children:

To Find the Joy in Little Things

Remember when we were kids and a large shiny balloon was enough to have us grinning for half an hour? Or remember how going to the park on the weekends seemed like the greatest adventure of our lives? As adults, we have lost out ability to find the joy in simple things. The truth is we all want to be happy but perhaps we are looking for happiness in the wrong places. Happiness and positivity radiates from inside you. If you fail to see the beauty in little things, it becomes quite difficult to stay happy.

To Express Our Feelings More Freely

When it comes to expressing our true feelings, many of us choose not to do so. Children, on the other hand, scream and cry their eyes out until they are heard and comforted by their loved ones. When was the last time you had a heart to heart conversation with somebody? As adults, we suppress our feelings and allow them to boil up inside us. Do not suppress your feelings. Who cares what others think? Expressing yourself more freely will allow you to feel better about yourself and that is what matters at the end of the day.

To Forgive

One moment a child is upset and in the next moment, they have already forgotten about it. Children can forgive and forget so easily. As adults, we hold grudges and hold our egos more important than the people we love. Cherishing a relationship is more important than arguing about who is right and who is wrong. Forgive the people who have wronged you as it will allow you to heal and grow.

To Believe In Yourself

“Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway.” —Mary Kay Ash

If you do not believe in yourself, how do you expect others to do so? Everything starts with you. As we grow up, we slowly start to lose belief in ourselves. Start believing in yourself and you will notice how easily things fall into place. You need to stop looking for the approval of others. Your dreams are your own to pursue and you will have to work for it yourself.

To Ask For Help

As we grow older, we find it more difficult to ask for help. Our thirst for knowledge diminishes and we start to become ignorant. Never be afraid to ask for help when you truly need it. As human beings we are by nature, dependent on others and our surroundings, though most of us will never admit that we cannot get by on our own.

You are unsure of yourself as a writer or you give up too easily. Then the challenge begins and you struggle day in and day out to get your thoughts down.

On some days, writing can feel so seamless. On other days, writing takes up the bulk of my day and it is an utter struggle to get a single word down on paper. The process of writing can be grueling, long lasting, and uninspiring. At the same time, finishing that piece you’ve been working on for a while leads to an exhilaration and a sense of accomplishment. This feeling gives me such a high that it becomes the most pleasurable thing about writing to me.

Sense Of Accomplishment

You work long and hard to get your thoughts down on paper. You put in countless hours of work and don’t care who ultimately reads your writing. The fact is, you got it done. This is more than what most people could say about their own works. For you to be able to finish is a testament to your ability as a writer. I know that when I finish a piece of work, I can not help but have a smile on my face because the whole process was challenging. I feel joyful to know that when I set my mind out to do something, I will be able to ultimately have something to show for it.

Boost In Confidence

At the beginning of the writing stage, there is a lack of confidence that exists. You aren’t sure you have what it takes to finish what you wrote down. You are unsure of yourself as a writer or you give up too easily. Then the challenge begins and you struggle day in and day out to get your thoughts down. Doubt sets in and your confidence wanes. But you persist and after finishing, you reflect and ponder as to why you ever question your confidence ever. There is a boost in confidence when you finish your work. This sensation of knowing that you are on top of the world makes you feel like you can put anything you set your heart and mind to. You become ready to tackle the next big thing.

If you think writing is tough, then you are right. It is. But that shouldn’t prevent you from putting in the effort of getting it done. If you have never written anything to its completion, then it’s time for you to really focus on doing so. The feeling you get when all is said and done is beyond anything you can imagine. It motivates you to do even better next time around. You have more faith in yourself and life feels good. If you want to feel this way the rest of your life, then seek to write every day and dedicate yourself to finishing your thoughts and writing it all down.

A lack of creativity or imagination in your writing will happen from time to time.

There are some days when you are on top of your writing. Other days, your mind goes blank and you are left wondering, what is it about today that is so different than previous days. Brain farts when it comes to writing will happen. There is no way around it. You will be trying your best to get something down on paper but to no avail. In moments like these, you have to learn to adapt to the lack of spark in your head and don’t let your ego affect you. Brain farts do happen and you have to embrace it when it does comes.

A lack of creativity or imagination in your writing will happen from time to time. This is a natural occurrence for all writers. Learn to embrace the idea that there will be days when you simply have no fresh ideas. Nothing in your life creates any interest at the current time being and that’s okay! You will never live a life where you have an idea every single minute of the day. It’s way too much. Let your brain slow ownonce in a while and allow it to flow naturally.

Writer’s Block often gets writers frustrated. When they set aside time to write and feel determined to reach their word limit, it can be a huge pain in the butt to realize that you don’t have anything to write about. You feel ashamed, unproductive, and unsure of your abilities. These feelings will subside. Do not worry. Most writers know that this block will eventually go and you’ll be faced with so much work that everything else will seem to matter little. If you are encountering writers block, let it go. Don’t keep bringing it up in conversations or close yourself off from the world.

There are a few things that can alleviate the brain farts when it comes to writing:

Clear Your Minds

Your minds are all over the place. It’s thinking about your current state, your family, your well-being. Get that all out of your head. It should be as empty as possible. Sit in silence and think about nothing. The more you do so, the more likely a fresh idea will randomly pop into your head. It’ll allow you to write to your hearts content. So yes, make sure you meditate and clear your head out.

Set Aside 15 Minutes For Brainstorming

I find that I do well with a timer when it comes to brainstorming. This allows me to focus on a single task, brainstorming, than anything else. I find that with the timer, it creates more of an internalized pressure to keep me flowing wth ideas. I have fun during this process and it can churn out some really interesting concepts. With this practice, you keep spitballing anything that comes into your head and not limit yourself. Try it out. Buy a timer and see how it works for you.

Brain farts will happen. It’s inevitable. It’s how you handle having these moments will determine what kind of character you are. There may be times where absolutely everything goes wrong. Set your troubles aside and forget it. Approach the next day with much more willpower and determination. You are confident you will overcome these brain farts in your head. I guarantee it. All you have to do is keep it up.

Procrastination makes even the most boring memos and reports seem interesting. If you need to catch up on your reading, this is the perfect time to stay up to date.

Procrastinators are usually labeled as unproductive, lazy and undisciplined. However, all that does not have to be true. Believe it or not, but productive procrastination is actually conducive to the best ideas you have ever had. If used efficiently, procrastination can actually prove a lot more productive than you think. Our brain works in mysterious ways. You can pull little tricks on your brain so you can work harder. At times when you are avoiding a task, it’s time you pay attention to things you often ignore. Here’s how you can be productive while procrastinating:

Organize Your Workstation

The next time you are dreading a presentation or facing a difficult task, organize your workstation or your room at home. Organizing all your papers, files and folders will actually help you in the long run. You will no longer waste time looking for important documents. Most people waste a lot of time looking for files and folders inside their computers. Why not organize your desktop so you have easier days at work? Organizing your workstation will reduce the risk of errors and will cut down on all the time you spend looking for files inside cluttered drawers.

Run Errands

Do you need to set up a dentist appointment or pick up something from the grocery store? Running errands while procrastinating can help make the most tedious and trivial errands seem appealing. The next time you are too lazy to study for your test or finish your assignment, instead of sitting idly and staring at the window, get up and take care of your errands.

Take the Time to Start Networking

Do you have a bunch of contacts in your phone but never get the time to send a simple message. Well, here is your chance. Procrastination provides you the perfect opportunity to get back to all those emails. Networking can prove quite useful in the long run, especially if you are a budding entrepreneur. The next time you are procrastinating, it is time for you to make some new friends or potential clients.

Catch Up On Your Reading

Procrastination makes even the most boring memos and reports seem interesting. If you need to catch up on your reading, this is the perfect time to stay up to date. All that knowledge can certainly prove more useful the next time you have a presentation, so the next time you are avoiding a dreaded task, put your reading glasses on instead.

Plan Ahead

Instead of having nonsensical thoughts, start planning ahead. Take the time out to start a journal or record meetings and important dates on your phone so you do not miss out on something important coming up next week. Procrastination is the best time to schedule all your tasks. Have you ever faced the embarrassment of forgetting somebody’s birthday or work anniversary? This is your time to start planning ahead and noting down upcoming events. This will help you in both your personal and professional life.

So, yes, you can be productive and procrastinate at the same time. To put it simply, take care of the tasks you consider ‘unproductive’ when you want to procrastinate doing the ‘real’ stuff that matters.

Eating healthy requires one to have a lot of self-control and it is only reasonable your friend may at times go astray and find comfort in a tub of sugar loaded ice-cream.

Going on a diet and changing to a healthier lifestyle is not easy. However, eating healthier becomes a whole lot easier if you have a friend who is in the same boat as you. Eating healthy requires one to have a lot of self-control and it is only reasonable your friend may at times go astray and find comfort in a tub of sugar loaded ice-cream. Here’s how you can motivate your friends to eat better:

Acknowledging Their Efforts

A compliment can go a long way. Compliment and acknowledge your friend’s efforts and let them know how happy you are to see them progressing in their fitness regime. If they have lost weight or have managed to keep off those salty potato chips for a week, let them know how proud you are of them sticking to their goals. A small compliment can make a whole world of a difference as it will keep your friend motivated and will provide encouragement to do even better.

Create an Incentive Program

If you and your friends are on a diet, plan a cheat day to keep yourselves motivated. All work and no play can make Jack a dull boy. You need to reward yourselves after eating bland chicken and boiled vegetables for an entire week. Pick any day according to your convenience and plan a dinner out. Plan your goals together and find a fun way to achieve them. Your fitness regime does not have to be all about eating bland food and spending tedious hours at the gym.

Have Fun

Eating healthy is not a punishment. Have fun! You can convince your friends to join a healthy cooking class with you. Not only will you be able to spend some quality time with your friends but also meet new people who you can now share your ideas and experiences. If you guys are not up for a cooking class, you can go through a bunch of recipes together online in the comfort of your home.

Be a Role Model

Your friends are most likely to eat better if they see you doing the same. Be the role model they need. They are likely to look up to you as you are their friend. Change their perspective about eating healthy and introduce them to new and better fitness techniques. Once they see how well you are doing, they will be compelled to follow in your footsteps and do the same.

Offer Them Comfort and Support

As mentioned earlier, eating healthy is not as easy as it looks and requires one to let go of their cravings and constantly monitor their calorie intake. If your friend is having a rough day, be there for them and offer moral support. Let them know the road to wellness may seem difficult but it definitely is worthwhile. So, share your struggles with them and be there for each other.

Keep imagination alive by setting a day in your week to have all outs fun. Go crazy and eat at a fun restaurant that you’d normally do not go to.

Imagination keeps us from going crazy. Without our imagination, we would be uninspired and lost in this wacky world. You need to make sure that you do all that you can to preserve your imagination because it may be the one thing that can keep you going.

My definition of imagination is the ability to think freely without being hindered by reality. You are able to go beyond the ordinary and not give a darn to its feasibility. You are given permission to imagine whatever you like because whatever you conceive, is yours and no one can take that away from you.

As we get older, our minds falter and our busy lives give us no time to sit and use our imagination. We become encumbered by work and our duties that imagination ends up on the back burner. This is normal. But we must make sure we do not lose sight of it. Keep imagination alive by trying the following.

HAVE A DAY OF FUN

Keep imagination alive by setting a day in your week to have all outs fun. Go crazy and eat at a fun restaurant that you’d normally do not go to. Plan a day where you are hanging out with friends and chatting about the “what ifs.” Don’t limit the day or set any expectations. Live carefreely and enjoy life. The more you enjoy it, the more you will allow imagination to roam. I find that the more fun I have, my imagination of what my friends and I can do for the day has no limits.

DAYDREAM

Yes, you are given permission to daydream. Keep imagination alive by thinking about all the fun scenarios you have created in your mind. Don’t judge your thoughts If you want to be a superhero, fine, embrace it. Are you secretly crushing on someone? Don’t feel bad. Imagine yourself in their warm embrace. Laugh about the idea and learn to enjoy that moment. Daydreaming stimulates our minds and can give us clues to what our subconscious wants in life.

READ

Be sure to read, read, read as much as you can. By reading fictional stories of adventures and wonders, you immerse yourself in that landscape. Don’t limit the book options you have. Be open to reading about anything and everything. The more you know, the more you can invent things in your mind which allows for the expansion of your imagination. Keep imagination alive by fueling it with any information you didn’t have before and open up new doors of thoughts!

Imagination is a wonderful thing to embrace. Many people do not care for it and I find they can get grumpier as they become older. They lost their fascination for life. Make sure you don’t lose this. By encouraging yourself to not hold back and by using imagination freely and without judgement, you are freeing yourself of feeling burdened by the realities of life. You will be living in multiple worlds as you imagine and that is totally okay. Embrace it.

You need to take life day by day and not always feel like you need to have revolutionary ideas pop into your head.

In today’s world, there is a lot of pressure placed on us to be creative. People expect us to have brilliant ideas and new concepts at the helm. This is unreasonable. It is okay to feel uncreative and I want to assure you of that.

People assume that every individual should be churning out ideas. At a person’s beckoning, if you do not have a solid idea, you are looked at as uninventive and boring. Why do we place this kind of pressure on each other?

It is okay to have days when you do not have any ideas. You need to take life day by day and not always feel like you need to have revolutionary ideas pop into your head. The more you can feel this way, the more relaxed you will become. And being relaxed will open up new creative avenues.

If you need some tips with being creative, however, these are things you can do to help you out.

1. RELAX

First and foremost. Relax. Don’t worry about the pressure that others may be placing on you. Just think about being in the here and now. Know that an idea will pop up eventually and even if it does not happen today, it will come. It is inevitable.

2. BRAINSTORM

Set aside a block of time. Maybe 15-30 minutes. In that block of time, free-write and jot down random ideas. Do not judge your idea. Whatever pops up; write it. You can edit later, but the point is to get your initial thought down on paper.

3. USE A FRIEND

Find a friend and spitball with one another. Not only is this a great way to build a social connection with another person but you are utilizing two minds at once! Find someone that you connect with and take the time to use your imagination and see what you can come up with!

Creativity is truly important, but it is not a necessity to be happy. Learn to appreciate the days that you have where you don’t need to worry or feel the need to create something. You can be content with where you are at in life and what you have before you.

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Who is Self-Starter Anh?

My name is Anh Phan and I am a self-starter and life coach. I provide the tools you need to get things done. Join my community which encourages members to support each other in a positive manner. I can help you foster happiness in your life. I am revolutionizing what it means to be productive and content with what we already have. Let me help you become a self-starter! Read more here